Of Blue Fires
by Tavychu
Summary: Timmy isn't ordinary. Timmy isn't human. Timmy is deadly. He was created by a witch, and held captive. For years he would serve her only for her own benefit: Eternal youth. An original character fanfic.
1. Through the Fire

When I was born it was for the good of one horrible woman whose youth had expired. She was a witch of unsightly properties. Thin and scraggly was her hair, while her eyes had dulled to a pale grey in mid afternoon. With her powers, she seamed together the most intelligent type of patchwork doll. It was sewn with the hide of a human, holding together what once had been its organs. Its heart was that of a demon's, and its brain, an intellectual breed of elf; then comes in the ears, those in which were taken from a dying goat, and a tail from a rodent in illness. I was both male, and female. This creature became what I am today: Timmy, a boy who at one point had no name.

At the beginning of my life I learned to read. I remember the road like twists that lead me to letters and figures painted on a piece of paper, to a complete story without audible sentences. After that I figured, "Who needs ears when you can hear with your eyes?" So I barely ever spoke, for I felt it would only be wasteful in that the old hag wouldn't care to listen to me anyways, besides, my mouth was still in the process of healing, so it wouldn't really matter if I talked or not.

When I finished my learning process, which didn't take all that long, I was sent out on missions to kill. You see, the witch had given me a type of power. With the snap of my fingers I could form a blue flame, and with that flame, carve through anything I pleased. Even the toughest barriers couldn't surpass my might. However this didn't mean I became big headed about it either. I was too preoccupied in keeping myself alive, and the only way to do that was by not getting on the witch's nerves. I was her slave, caught up in her lies simply for that tiny pebble of life. She didn't feed me well. I guess she didn't feel she had to. It's not like I have to eat after all, technically I'm just one messed up zombie. But that didn't mean my stomach wouldn't still growl for some kind of morsel. Anything to ease the pains in my stomach would do. But no, I had to keep working for her no matter what. She held my life by a string, and I wasn't planning on breaking it.

After a long while of serving the witch, I began to feel my body become weaker and weaker with every passing day. I couldn't die. Only she could kill me. Still I would roam about on missions for her, collapsing and killing, killing and constantly feeling the need to die myself. I wanted to run, but if I did, she would make my heart stop. It was her that needed to die. . . her who needed to be starved and ridden of her own life. But I couldn't kill her, she made sure of that too. I couldn't touch her, because if I did, I would perish.

I didn't like the humans much. They were all so confusing. One moment they would be your best friend, the next, your mortal enemy. I couldn't treat them as equals. I had to look at them as lifeless insects, weaklings, a lower species. Even though in reality, I was the lower, a mix of beasts and goons. Not even my spirit truly belonged to me. Imagine how I felt over this turmoil. Imagine how I felt over all those waisted lives. Imagine how I felt when I knew only the witch was getting something out of it. Imagine how I felt when I knew I couldn't bare socialization. I was hurt very badly.

Months passed, years even. And with each passing week I would feel more and more alone, but then, something changed. I was sitting alone in my chambers. Around my ankle was a chain that attached to the wall. This was where I would stay when I wasn't on mission for the hag. She called it my bedroom. Not a very comfortable one surely, but it was all I had. There I would often wreak havoc, acting like some sort of beast in hopes that the woman would set me free, but of course, she only threatened my existence in general, saying that she could make a better version of myself anyway; a beast that's obedient. The only thing I was good for was serving her. I was in the middle of one of these useless fits, when I heard a series of crashes from above. It went on for hours, until finally I heard the mistress's screech. This hushed me up very quickly.

"You! Trap the witch inside that vase! The others can search the area for more findings. We don't want anymore dangers coming from this house nor its owner!" A man's voice in mid youth gave orders from upstairs. I stood frozen in place. Had they captured the witch? There was an eerie silence. I stood very still till I finally heard someone's heavy boots clopping against the staircase leading to where i had been located. It was a large man who came down, one with beastly features and spiked shoulder pads.

"Lord Koenma I found something!" The strangers voice started to bellow to the upstairs as he had spotted me. I did the only thing I could think of to defend myself, release all my power at once. The whole building would go up in blue flame.

"SOMEONE PROTECT THE PRINCE!"

"EVACUATE! EVACUATE!"

"THIS IS DANGEROUS BOYS! MOVE OUT!"

Those were the words heard within the crackle of fire and heat. I was amazed at my own abilities. If I had known that my power could break the bars that held me captive, I would have done this a long time ago. However, if that were the case I would've still died, considering if the witch is killed, then I die along with her. It's just another curse I had to bare. Now I just had to find a way to escape my own defenses. Turned out, the flames didn't affect me, so I walked forward, eyes glowing a heated white.

With every step I took towards the men in uniform, the more they would back away. I felt so empowered, like I was some kind of weapon. A monster once again. However when I passed the prince, he stood still. I looked at him through the corner of my eye, only to see him glowing blue against the intense fires. It was as though everything was in slow motion. His eyes fallowed my every movement. He never moved. I manged to go past him without inflicting any damage to his shorter body, till finally, I was out of the remains.


	2. Emi

When I was alone, I was truly alone. There was no place for me to go. Questions continuously started to fog up my mind. Why did he spare me? Why didn't he command anyone to capture me? Why didn't he stick me in the vase along with my horrible owner 'Gil Fa'. That was the price I should have paid for all the times I had murdered innocent children and their mothers. He was the prince! Isn't he suppose to protect the spirit world and the human world from monsters like me? Isn't that his job? I remember the mistress spoke of a man like himself, and how if he found me I would surely die by his soldier's swords because of the monster that I am. It didn't happen. None of that happened. Thinking about it for a while, I knew that witch Gil Fa was only trying to frighten me so that I could continue on with her misdeeds. It was a shrewd trick. A shrewd trick for a shrewd woman. I hate myself for fearing her words. Why can't I learn?

A night like no other, I walked towards the nearest city wearing little clothing. Only the rags I was left with wrapped around my sore body. I needed to blend in with the humans. Now that the witch was entrapped in that vase, I found freedom was something I wasn't use to. My feet ached as they slapped against the city pavement where I would usually seek Gil Fa's victims. I had to be discreet, for if anyone saw me I could have been arrested. At that point I could only wish that the witch had put more spirit in me so that I could magically turn invisible just like the real ghosts. Why did she have to make me a patch work monstrosity? Oh well, being depressed about anything and everything was not going to help me survive. At least I didn't look like a rag doll in literal terms because she had the brains to sow me up internally.

My stomach growled, and every time it did so I would feel my whole body tighten up and shiver. First off, I needed a place to rest; using all that power made me exhausted, so I searched for a semi comfortable area to sleep. I chose an ally way, one partially blocked by a dumpster and a half torn fence, probably eaten away by dogs. Then sneaking through one of the biggest holes I could find, I finally found a pile of old recyclables and made myself comfortable. It wasn't the greatest area to slumber, yet it was a lot better than my old bed, that being the stone ground of a practical jail cell. I was at peace, my eyes drifted, and I fell asleep without dreaming.

A bright collision of circular lights passed through the chains that linked together a broken fence. It was late afternoon, I could tell. Had I slept an entire day away? My eyes drifted to the side where I saw two dark skinnned children giggling at me from the other side, and I managed to pull my body to a sitting position. The cans that surrounded my chest and lap clanked around as I moved and I said nothing.

"What are you two laughing at?"

An older woman who appeared to be their older sister walked up behind the two. I could see that she was in her late teens with long dark hair that fell over her shoulders in lovely waves. Her eyes were green, and her skin as dark as theirs.

"There's a person in there!" The younger girl pointed at me with a tiny finger, and I clutched onto the pile of cans in fear of being killed.

"Oh really now?" The older sister smiled with beautiful pearl colored teeth. She then knelt down in front of me so that she could examine passed the dark shadow bouncing off of the dumpster at her right side.

I shivered, always watching her every move like some sort of scared rabbit caught in a hole. As peircing as her eyes were, they had a softness about them that had nearly calmed my nerves. Her face was smooth and delacate, dark like mohogany wood.

"Well would you look at that...?" She whispered, a voice that sounded like sweet fruits. I backed away just barely into the cans that supported my body. She smelled wonderful, nothing like I've ever smelled before. I would occasionally walk alone by evergreens, that was the smell, like fresh pine.

"You don't want to live in there child...it's cold and dark."

Surprisingly enough the woman reached out to me even though I had made it known that I was frightened. Hadn't she seen the horns on my head? Right, not all humans have that sixth sense. Something like my small horns and goat ears would be invisible to them.

I hesitated, thinking back on the deceitful nature of the human species, yet I knew in my heart that this woman was trustworthy, so I took her hand and was soon pulled out of my little hole. When I stood up I realized she was a few feet shorter than me, yet her gaze was still strong and tall.

"You poor thing, you're all dressed in rags. . .do you have a home?" She asked me as I got my bearings straight.

"I think he lives in that hole ma." The boy stated while pointing to the old wire fence. I was surprised by the fact that he had called her ma. The woman didn't look a day over twenty.

"Hajime that's rude! Everybody had a home at one point. This world is just a cruel place and some people have to literally dig to survive. I'm sure you'll understand when you're older." The woman let out a sigh then looked directly into my eyes as she started once more to speak.

"My name is Emi, love. The boy is Hajime and the girl is Hachi. What's your name?" Her voice became soft once again. She was friendly, yet I refused to speak. The witch had called me Dokimaru, however I did not want to go by that name any longer. Perhaps the woman would have a better one for me.

"Are you alright boy? Can't you speak?" She spoke again, this time with slight pity in her tone. My lip trembled. I wanted so very badly to answer her, but because of my vow, I found it difficult to formulate words.

"I suppose then we're gonna hafta' name you then hm?" She dusted off my head while speaking. Her touch was motherly and sweet.

"Oh oh oh! Can I name him ma?" Hajime flashed his hand above his head for his mother to look.

"That's silly. Why are we naming a person?" Hachi said crossing her arms.

"I plan on taking him in. He can't live here like this without anyone to take care of him. He needs us. And I'd rather not call him boy all the time." Emi replied soothingly. I was surprised by her patience."However, I think I should be the one to name him." She looked at me for a long while. Perhaps five minutes at most. Then with a lifted section of my hair, she smiled. ". . .how about Timmy?" She asked me as though I would answer, but once again, I refused to say a word.

"I like it." Hajime lifted up his hand to make a sign of approval.

"Hm. That's right. Timmy's a wonderful name isn't it?" Emi said promptly. "Come on now...we're going home."

I was amazed! One moment I was in complete doubt of human caring, in doubt of any caring at all honestly. I felt I couldn't trust a soul, and now, this woman and her children were accepting me with open arms. Sure her daughter had been slightly negative about the situation, but she didn't complain when she was told I was being brought into her house. There were doubts running in my head, doubts and dreams all at the same time. I didn't know what to think.

She told me about her living style, about what she liked and disliked, how she took care of her family. She told me she had a husband who had been away for a very long time without any signs of leaving the house. I felt bad for the woman, having to work alone for two children who weren't even schooling. It must have been a very hard lifestyle. I wanted very much to help her. Perhaps I would watch her children while she was working. Anything to help.

Arriving at her house felt like a new awakening. It wasn't a mansion, nor a castle, but it was a lovely shelter. Some clothing was scattered about the area, but it smelled lovely when I was completely inside. A blue couch covered in white colored shirts sat still to the right of the room, and completing the circle of furniture were two other chairs. A good sized television set was against the wall and a few toys were in different sections of the house. I didn't say anything, yet I still managed to mouth the single word, "wow".

Emi walked into the house quickly and picked up a few of the random clothing, hiding them behind her back, then began to speak with a nervous grin.

"Sorry about the mess! I should have cleaned up honestly...but I suppose I wasn't really expecting a guest."

I still refused to speak, however I couldn't help but to let out out a small giggle at the way she was acting all of a sudden. I guess she took that as a positive reply.

"There we are, a laugh. May not be much, but it's still nice to at least hear what you sound like." She said softly. Her children went straight towards the toys to play.

"Oh wait until you meet 'Gramma!' I'm sure she'll love you! Sometimes she helps watch the children when I'm away, however because she's getting so old, it's harder to stay awake when they have so much energy, you know what I mean Timmy?"

My attention shot to an opening door where an older woman stepped forth. She was using a cane of sorts, perhaps because of a bad hip. Honestly she didn't look all that old to me. She was slightly heavy set but her face was smooth and unwrinkled, yet her hair was graying.

"Who will I love?" The woman said. Like Emi, her voice was smooth like sweet milk, yet at a lower tone. A wise voice.

"Mother this is Timmy...I found him on the street while we were on our walk." Emi began.

"And what? You want to keep him?" The older woman laughed. "You act as though you found a puppy and now you want us to use him as a pet." She shuffled towards me, and I made no attempt to leave, in fact I stood very much frozen in place.

"Timmy hm? Unique name. Is he an American...?" She said while lightly tapping my nose.

"No ma'am. He won't talk, wouldn't tell us his name, so we called him Timmy." Emi answered with a smile.

"So he really is like a pet to you eh?" Gramma teased. "Where will he sleep?"

"I have an extra cot stored in the basement, he can use that and sleep in my room." Emi replied.

"What would Ryota do if he found out...?" The elderly woman asked. There was an odd glint in her eyes that portrayed a type of danger, I felt almost afraid.

"He's been gone for over a year now Ma...I don't think he's coming back..." Emi looked down, her long hair drooping over her shoulders as though it was sad itself. Once more, I said nothing. I wanted to mention how much I didn't want to impose, wanted to mention how I could help myself, but I felt that if I said that the young woman would be sad. I would hate to see any hint of sadness in her eyes, for she seemed so happy talking to me. Seeing her sad now was nearly frightening.

"Alright...but treat him as a guest and just that...I don't want any trouble coming from your husband if he does return. Him sleeping in your room may be a challenge for you...however I do trust your actions and believe that you wouldn't treat him any more than what you should. You are an adult after all...a young one, but still an adult."

"Yes mother. If you don't remember, I've gotten this lecture before." The girl smiled, showing her lovely white teeth once again. Gramma smiled humbly.

"Come on then Timmy, let me show you around!" Emi grabbed my hand, leading me around the halls and showing me rooms that she favored. It was really a lovely place. There was no upstairs, but it was still nice. Much nicer than my old home. She made me giggle more than once, I suppose the entire time she hadn't a clue about my double gender. Or perhaps it didn't matter to her. I was well bound, so it's not like anyone could notice. I felt a sense of happiness around her...perhaps even a light attraction. It was a burning feeling, one that I couldn't help but hold in my heart. The only human who ever showed me compassion, and I was lucky enough to find her.


	3. New Family

For many a week I helped with that family, cleaning around the house, playing with the children while their mother was away and Gramma was too tired help. They were pleasant children, no matter how hyper they might have been. Hajime loved soccer and video games, while Hachi wanted to be a model. Often I would help her dress up so that she could show off her outfits to her brother who was often uninterested. I think she was beginning to fond over me because of this, for when Hajime made no comment about her attire, she would always ask me what I thought. So in bold print I would write down my score as either eight or above. Knowing this, she would always stick out her tongue and say how beautiful she was. I was glad to know she was happy.

Then when it came to Hajime and I, he would often challenge me to a video game. Most of the time when I would win he would throw a fit, so I found it easier to just let him win, giving it my all in the beginning then having him punch me down for the rest of the game. For once in my life I felt like I always wanted to, a happy individual. I was being treated like a someone, instead of some monster. I couldn't help but wonder how the family didn't recognize my face from all of my previous killings. Usually it was spread far and wide throughout every city I would attack. Perhaps it was because I stayed away from their side of the city, saving it for another time. Either way I had to play it safe and stay inside their home just in case someone did recognize me. However in this house, it did not feel like a prison, only home.

Sooner or later I only began to speak to Gramma alone. She was an interesting woman, filled with the stories of her youth. She told me about hardships and rewards, books and the celebrities of her times. I loved that woman. She was her own novel. I would continuously tell her to write a biography on her life, but she would always refuse, saying that she barely has the energy to even hold a pencil. I would always laugh at that comment, taking it in as some kind of excuse not to work. I didn't mind it though, if she wasn't going to write about it, then I assured her that I would. And sure enough, every day that I would talk to her and listen to her stories, I would always have a piece of paper and pencil on hand to record her life. I think it was well appreciated.

When Emi would come home I felt like such a puppy. The excitement would shoot up like a rush to my head and my tail that was invisible to the human eye would wag and twitch. I swear the more she stepped in the room the lovelier she appeared. I knew poor Emi would be tired when she came home, so often I would make her some tea before she arrived back at the house so as to sooth her aching body. She was a strong girl, and I'm sure that working as a train loader took a lot out of her. Every time I gave her the drink, she would thank me and sit down on the couch with heavy eyes, only to fall asleep very quickly. I would often patiently wait at the couch's side for her to awaken, my eager eyes flickering with movement till her nap was over.

"Silly boy. . ." She would whisper after her eyelids had finally drifted apart. "You're always watching out for me..."

A grin would appear on my face after hearing this. The greatest present I ever received from the house was their approval, and I found it quite rewarding.

One day when I was getting ready for bed, I heard knocking at my door. When I had first arrived, I would often leave the light on when I slept, making it clear that I was terrified of the dark. See, I always have been. That was why it was an ever crueler torture for me at the old cell, my flames would be the only source of light, and I couldn't keep that going forever. I didn't know what it was about the dark that frightened me so much. Maybe it wasn't the dark itself, but what lurked within it that caused me to shiver in fear. Fortunately Emi had given me a special night light. It was old and dying, but plenty of light for me. It was her whom had entered the room with a book in her hand.

I sat up straight from a picture I was coloring and grinned at her while she invited herself over to sit by my side on the white cot.

"Timmy. . ." She said in a soft tone. "I got a story for us to read together." When she handed it to me, I grabbed it fast, curious and excited in getting to spend more time with the girl. She laughed in surprise. Upon the cover was a picture of two frogs holding hands and standing on a large mountain. It was so colorful that I couldn't take myeyes away from it. The title was quite to the point and read, 'The Two Frogs'.

"Do you know how to read Timmy? I'm afraid it's centered more around children. I hope you don't mind that." Emi apologized.

I viggerously shook my head, eager to read, then placed the story on her lap. I could have mentioned that I can read myself, but just the thought of hearing her voice as she read to me caused my heart to beat and skin to crawl with delight. Emi laughed once again; her giggle as charming as ever.

"Alright alright! I'll read it!" A grin crossed her face as her eyelash shaded eyes looked down at the pages before her and she began to read.

The book was about two frogs that came from totally different cities, yet each at the same exact time, wanted to see where the other lived, even though they hadn't a clue about eachother; And when they finally made it, they met on a mountain and stood up tall to see where the other had lived. However, when frogs stand, everything they see would be behind them because of the shape of their eyes, so all they saw was their own city. After that, they figured the entire trip was useless if the other city looked exactly like their own, when in reality, they were totally different. In the end, the two believed firmly that they came from identical areas, when in reality, they did not. I related the story to Emi and I. Both completely different people with completely different stories, yet still the same deep down. She closed the book and sighed.

"It's been a while since I read that story. Ma use to read it to me when I was little, so it's very close to my heart. Her and pa were killed in a car wreck...I'll never forget them." Her eyes drifted shut in a still sadness.

To see Emi nearly crying tugged at my heart strings. Never before had I seen a human become sad over another human. It was eerie, and my eyes nearly teared up with hers.

"Timmy...y-you're not about to cry yourself are you? Oh I didn't mean for you to get sad for me. Don't cry Timmy..." I couldn't bring actual tears to my face, but I suppose my expression hinted that I was about to. I couldn't help it. All I wanted was to see her smile again. I did the only thing I could, hold her to me as she mourned the loss of her parents. Her hand gripped tightly onto my shirt as she couldn't help but sob, till finally, things went silent for a long while.

Within that final silence, Emi spoke words that I had never heard before being directed at me in a whisper, the words, "I love you."


	4. Between Friends

That night I slept quite peacefully. My dreams were blurry and surreal, stunning within the depths of my own mind. Her face surrounded every cloud in my head. This was impossible! I couldn't be in love! Especially with someone whose husband left them only a year before. Who knows where he went off to? Another one of those stories where they say they're simply going grocery shopping, when in reality they're not planning on coming back.

I woke up strong when the morning arrived. Like usual I stretched out my arms in front of me and let out an enormous cat-like yawn. Today Gramma would be taking the kids to the zoo, leaving me and her grandchild home alone.

I glanced over at the clock. 11:30. I had slept in. The new clothes that Emi gave me were delicately folded at the cot's edge for when I awoke. I'm not sure why, but I think she liked the color white, because that was the color she always gave me to wear. Today it was a white button down shirt with long sleeves and baggy off-gray pants. It was a comfortable attire when I slipped it on. The cloth was soft and easy to move around in. Then after dressing, I stepped out of the bedroom in bare feet to see Emi cooking at the stove. It was nice seeing her home for the weekend.

"Made some eggs for us." She said with a smile. "Only woke up a few minutes ago, but they're nearly finished!" Twirling around she began to serve me a dish. I watched in awe as the eggs were still steaming when they touched my plate. They smelled amazing. That buttery hot scent that clears your sinuses and leaves you begging for more when you finish. One bite and I was in heaven.

"You like it? I tried a new recipe today. Hope you don't mind a bit of hot sauce. I know I don't." She sat down in front of me with her own dish after turning off the stove and began to eat, starring at me all the while. I was honestly too busy enjoying the meal to really care.

When we were finally finished and cleaned up, Emi asked me a question, "Timmy? Why do you only talk to Gramma?"

I looked up at her, smiling and starring into her green eyes, knowing she was about to continue.

"See, I hear her talking to you all the time, yet I never hear your voice. She answers questions too, like you're actually asking her something. Maybe you're too soft spoken for me to really hear, but all in all, it seems strange. Like you talk to her with your mind. I don't know, maybe I'm just imagining things."

Listening to her made me question it myself. Why was Gramma the only person I ever talked to in this house? Surly by now I should have said at least something to Emi with how attached to her I was, but I didn't. However, there was **_one_** difference with Gramma. Since she was so old and wise, she** _could_** see the horns on my head and the tail on my back. In a way it was sad though, because since she could see everything so well, it meant that her life was growing short. Thinking about this, I looked down sadly at the table, yet attempted to hide my sad eyes with a fake smile so that Emi wouldn't notice my concern.

"Timmy, won't you say one thing to me? Just one?" Emi asked with enlarging green eyes. "If it's hard for you, I'll give you a reward. I just want to hear you speak."

That was it! A reward! A wide grin crossed my face as I heard her say this, and I clapped my hands with joy, nodding vigorously.

"Alright then boy! Show me what you want." The girl smiled.

I thought for a long moment. I couldn't possibly want anything more than I already had. Maybe I simply wanted to be a tease. No, that couldn't be it. There had to be something... That was it! I wanted to see the outside!

"Well Timmy?" She continued. I nodded to let her know I had an idea, then grabbed her hand to pull her towards the window, smiling at the bright outdoors.

"You want to go out?" Emi paused for a moment. "Er...I mean outside of course! Don't be thinking I meant...well, you know, it's not like...heh, um, never mind!"

I looked at her blankly, a single brow lifting, and I shook my head. I needed to tell her that it was impossible for me to go out of the house without some sort of disguise. I needed to be. . ."humanafied". So instead of just telling her this, I decided to rush to the bedroom. There I would find myself a ball cap and place it on my head to cover up the horns. As for my tail, that was easily taken care of with a simple tuck. I didn't want to be noticed by those who _could_ see. Emi looked quite surprised when I came into the living room, it was right next to the kitchen, so she could easily tell what I was wearing.

"Timmy? You sure are eager!" She laughed. "But remember, we made a deal, I'm not taking you out unless you say something to me. It can be anything! Again, I just want to hear you speak."

Once again I started to think to myself. What should I say? Never once has she ever heard me speak, I had to make it good, something unforgettable! I swallowed hard, gathering all my strength. My heart was beating wildly, the first words towards my attractive friend! This was it! My time to shine!

"LOOK OVER THERE!" I shouted. She looked, and I jutted out the door.

Emi let out a laugh when she realized I had already disappeared. I'm sure she was also laughing at her own excitement, knowing that I had spoken to her for the very first time.

"Timmy! Wait for me boy! I wasn't ready!" The girl ran after me, letting out giggles and laughs the whole way through. I climbed a tree and smiled down at her teasingly, flickering my hand back and forth in a wave. Never before had I been this happy!

"Come on Timmy! That didn't count! Say something else!" She begged with a grin.

I shook my head and stuck out my tongue, of course this time I was just trying to get on her nerves, if she had any that is.

"Pleeeeeeeeeease!" Emi begged once again.

I jumped from the tree, scaring her in the process, but still making a good landing.

"Did I frighten you?" I said finally in a very quiet tone. I suppose you can compare my voice more to a boy's than a girl's, yet there's still this lightness about it. Like a teenage male beginning his high school year, but one that's usually quiet in the classrooms. Not nasal, but a light male voice; A high tenner perhaps. A voice so quiet that she had to ask me to repeat myself.

"I said, 'did I scare you?'" I stated once again. She blushed, perhaps not the voice she had expected, but apparently to her, a quite attractive one.

"Um...a little. I wasn't sure if you had twisted something. I've never seen someone jump from that high without hurting themselves!"

"I guess I'm kind of weird then huh?" I sat down in the grass, relaxing in the sunlight even though it would occasionally sting my eyes.

"Weird? What's that?" Emi joked. She sat down beside me. "So this was all you wanted? To relax in the sun?"

"Mmhmm..." I nodded, laying back in the soft grass. There was a brief silence, and I started to speak without making eye contact. "Emi...?"

"Hm?" She replied sleepily.

"What did you mean last night...when you said that you loved me? We barely know each other..."

"You know, like a brother." She began. "You're always listening to me, you take care of me just as much as we take care of you. It's nice..."

"Heh...yeah. Guess you're right..."

I smiled. Never once did I want that day to stop, however, all good things must come to an end...


	5. Intent to Kill

The next day started off a normal one. Me and Emi played puzzle games with the children while Gramma watched and laughed along with us. In mid afternoon we had watched a movie together. A cute cartoon I think, about a caterpillar wanting desperately to become a butterfly. Nothing could make the day any better than what it already was. However during dinner, something happened that I'll never forget. . .

"Mommy I'm full!" Hachi complained before she had even taken one bite of her supper, so I showed her a trick in order to get her to eat. With one spoon I flicked the mashed potatoes up in the air and caught them with my mouth. Of course she wanted to do the same, however when she did it I knew for sure that she would miss, so I managed to catch it with my own mouth once again. She laughed at this and finally began to eat normally.

It was then that there was a loud knock at the door.

"Lemee in!" A loud voice slurred. Everyone froze in mid chew.

"Do you think it's him Gramma?" Emi shivered. Gramma said nothing. "I'll go see. . ."

Suddenly it was like a bad horror movie. With every step the girl made, the more the flooring would creek. I felt compelled to hold onto the children's shoulders,in which were on either side of me. Emi opened the door.

There stood a tall man with peach fuzz hair and dark tan skin. His body was somewhat thin, yet I could still see defined muscle in his arms. For clothes, he wore a dirty off white tank top and baggy pants, it had also seemed he was chewing something, I think a type of tobacco, for he rudely spat by Emi's feet.

"It is you. . ." The girl heaved. This wasn't a pretty picture.

"Heard you had someone stayin' with you here..." The man started. He gnashed his teeth together as if in a controlled rage. "Who iz ee?" It was obvious by his speech that he had been drinking not too long before he came over. I cringed in fear as his brown-black eyes shot over Emi's shoulder and bore into my own purple ones.

"He's just a guest Ryota..." His wife responded as smoothly as she could muster.

"Looks like he's gettin' along wiff da family...how long? Why iz he stayin' hurr?" The tall man glowered.

"You've been gone for a year Ryota. . . he needed a place to stay, otherwise he would have lived in the streets his entire life..." Emi tried to explain.

The room got even more quiet if that's possible. Nobody even tried to move their lips, and finally, the man broke the silence, swearing at the top of his lungs.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN REPLACE ME? IZ THAT IT EMI!"

"Not at all! I just thought-"

"SHUT UP!" A swift hand slapped my friend across the face and she fell to the ground in shock. Ryota walked towards us swiftly, too fast for a drunk, fearfully fast, and he lifted the table where me and the others sat. I covered the children's ears, holding them close to me so as to guard them from the falling glass. Emi reached out to us.

"Ryota no! They're our kids!" She shouted while trying to get back onto her feet. There was a defined red mark on her cheek where the man had managed to slap her.

"I'm calling the police!" Gramma wailed, at this point me and the children were huddled together and staring at the scene before us in utter shock.

"Better not ol' woman!" Ryota argued loudly, but Gramma was hardheaded, so I knew she wouldn't turn back now. It was a bad idea, and sure enough right when she was about to pick up the phone, Ryota snatched it up off of its holder and started to hit her with it hard.

"GRAMMA!" I screamed as loud as I could, yet still holding the two youngsters to my chest. They were guarding their faces into my shirt and covering their ears.

Gramma was bleeding, battered and bruised on the floor. Emi started to wail with tears. Neither of us could tell if she was dead or alive.

"YOU DON'T CALL THE COPS ON ME! YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!" Ryota screamed at the beaten body before him, then turned to face me. "And you! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE, BOY! YOU DON'T BELONG HERE!"

I couldn't find the strength to say a word, and with Hajime and Hachi digging their faces into me, it was hard to think.

"NEITHER DO YOU RYOTA!" Emi startled me with her tone. Never once had I ever heard her angry before.

"Whadjya say girl?" The man said. His boots clopped down on the floor heavily as he slowly began to walk towards her.

"You don't belong here. . . we were happy until you came back! Why couldn't you've just waited till you were sober! How did you get here!"

"None've yer business!" He lunged towards her, readying himself to hit. I couldn't watch any more! There had to be something I could do! Of course! I wasn't human!

As fast as I could I ran up behind Ryota, punching him hard in the face to get him away from first person I've ever loved! He flew up against the wall, causing it to crack and break. I slipped my arm under Emi's to keep her from falling do to the vibration while Hajime and Hachi stayed in the corner, still holding onto each other, desperate to be spared by their own father's fury.

"Stupid...kid..." Ryota fell from the wall and onto his hands and knees. He wasn't going down without a fight, springing to his feet once again. I think he was too drunk to notice the pain. When I saw this, I immediately reacted.

"Emi, get the children to a safe place and make sure Gramma's OK! I'll handle the rest! Promise." I commanded. Then after she agreed, I planted my feet on the ground and held my arms up to the side, ready for anything that might hit me.

Sure enough Ryota ran fast as lightning to where I stood. His eyes were like fire in the distance.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" The man was definitely enraged.

I breathed in hard, letting all the oxygen I could enter my system. I didn't want to use fire just yet. After all, if I made one mistake, the whole house could be in danger, however I had to be cautious just in case something backfired. Holding up my arms, I awaited the first blow.

He didn't just hit once, he hit many times. The punches were painful and direct, however I wasn't going down that easy, I'd make sure of that. It was time to bring out the offensive. Blue fire licked across my thigh until my entire leg was surrounded by it. I managed a swooping kick, tripping the man to the ground in mid step. He lied there for a moment, shocked by my movement and the new burns across his ankle, though not surprisingly, he still managed to get back up and was soon ready for more. Everyone important to me flashed before my eyes. I had to protect them!

"You're not human!" He pointed at me, stating his words in a gravely voice. It was almost obvious he was trying to cover up his fear. "THAT MEANS YOU'RE A DEMON! SO GET OUT!" It was the same old attack, run and hit. By now it was easy to dodge, however when I managed to move out of the way, I had lost track of his footing, and he was on my blind side. A large noise made my eardrums vibrate, and I twirled around. This time he was armed. In his right hand, a gun, and in his left, a dagger. "YOU WILL DIE HERE!" That man had a one track mind.

Bullets shot in every direction, my ears burned at every fire, and I bared my teeth growling. I figured it was because he was drunk that he kept missing me, it wasn't till later that I realized that in all actuality, it was simply a trick to distract me. Meanwhile, Ryoto would run forward, dagger directed at my chest with intent to kill. I covered my ears, too busy trying to avoid the sound to understand what was going on. He was only inches away, till with great swiftness, I saw Emi leap in front of me, using herself as a human shield. . .

My best friend, Emi, barely standing, was bleeding before me, taken out by a man she had once called husband. At this rate...everything went numb. . .


	6. Timmy's Wrath

Emi lifted her hands shakily to the handle of Ryota's large dagger. Meanwhile I stood frozen, befuddled by the woman's action to protect me. Why did it have to come to this? The blood dripped from her mouth as she stood unafraid.

"Ryota. . ." She coughed up her last words. "Go home. . ." And she fell to the ground, a dying heap.

The wrath this action had caused me was unbearable! It honestly felt like my heart was about to explode right from my chest! How could he do this to me? How could he do this to her? His family? Gramma? I wanted to collapse to the ground and give up all hope, but I was too enraged.

My legs quivered to back away. I wrapped my arms around my own stomach. The little sound that came out of my mouth was like a constricted wail. My violet eyes felt as though they were taped open, and my bleached out hair draped over my shoulder as if it wanted to die along with her.

"I killed her..." Ryota whispered to himself while looking down at Emi's unmoving body. I could tell he was about to snap. Maybe now he would realize his faults. However to my anger and surprise, a crazed grin stretched across his face and he began to burst into blood curtailing laughter! "I KILLED HER!" He repeated loudly. It was obvious to me now that he was not a stable individual.

I let out a scream! One so loud that I'm sure the entire city could hear me! However this scream was not a fearful one. This scream was all the hatred I held in my heart, including the anger towards the witch that had once called me her slave. Why did this have to happen to _ME_! Like glass my eyes broke out into a piercing white. This was the end. No longer did I have the will to think logically. No longer did I feel any guilt for what I was about to do. That day, Ryota would die!

Like an oil spill catching fire, blue flames ignited and surrounded my body. The clothing Emi had given me had dissolved immediately, and I was ready for the kill. Ryota was still laughing like a mad man, only this time his hands were shaking when he pointed the gun at me. A shot rang out, hitting me in the chest. That wouldn't do anything when I was in that state, only barely rip the stitches that were holding my body together. Nothing more than a paper cut. I continued to walk forward, my movement graceful yet fierce all at the same time. Like a newborn child Ryota screeched.

"GET AWAY FROM ME DEMON!"

It was that name again. A demon, a monster, a weapon. For that, he would pay! No longer would I hesitate. My arms lifted, and a grazing flame hit the man in mid motion. His body writhed for only a moment before his silhouette had been completely dissolved. Nothing was left of him accept for a pile of ashes scattered around on the floor. That and the resulting fires of my on wrath.

It wasn't long before I had come back to reality. The flame engulfed the house, just as expected, and I was alone once again. Realizing what I had done wasn't easy. If I had controlled myself just a little bit more, this wouldn't have happened. At this rate the only thing I could do was collect the family and drag them outside where it was safe. From the outside I expected the events to look like a miniature explosion of nuclear energy. I took the most critical cases outside first, hoping that the children were still conscious wherever Emi had hid them. Surely it would be their room. When I went inside to check on them, it appeared that they were still alive, however their eyes were shut. They must have fainted due to the amount of fear welling up in their little bodies. I scooped the two up over my shoulders and brought them outside as well. Fortunately the fire alarm had gone off during the fight, so firemen would be arriving shortly. Meanwhile I watched over the bodies and wept.

Soon after hearing the sirens sound off in the distance, i knew I had to hide, so quickly, I got up and fled towards the bushes on the other side of the road and watched nervously as the firetrucks began to surround the house. Men in uniforms leaped out from every door and began to hose down the fire, while a few others put the family on individual stretchers. I was releived to see that the children were fine and easily awoken, however the results for Emi and her grandmother were still vague. They were both rushed to the nearest hospital, while Hachi and Hajime were too stunned to say a word.

"You two are going to be alright now..." One of the men said to the two while dabbing a moist rag on Hachi's forehead.

Another man was running out of the remains with a nearly panicked expression.

"We found a sample of what appears to be human ashes sir, that and a dagger in the young woman's chest! This may have been an intentional disaster." He said while catching his breath.

"We'll get the ashes to a lab. Hopefully then we'll be able to solve this..." The chief replied.

I looked into my hand. When I had still been inside, I managed to snatch Ryota's gun. To me it was a trophy for his defeat, yet at the same time, an item of sorrow. Either way it was mine now, a piece of my own victory.

In the distance where Hajime sat, the chief noticed that the boy was waving at someone. That someone being me. I quickly put my finger in front of my mouth to insure that he stayed quiet. No one could know what happened in that house. He had to keep that a secret.

"What is it boy? You see someone?" The chief asked almost sternly. Hajime turned to look at him, then slowly put down his hand.

"He has an imaginary friend." Hachi chimed. "It's probably him. . ."

Thank goodness she had my back, and thank goodness the man fell for it. Now, I could make my escape.


	7. A Crowd of Friendly Loones

It was time to search for my own life yet again. I'm not sure why, but one thing I was definitely born with was the intention to live. Even after all that struggle, all that pain and turmoil, I wanted to stay alive. I went through too much to just give up and die, but oh such good food Emi cooked for me while I was living with them. The smiling wise face of Gramma and the laughter of Hajime and Hachi echoed in my mind. I had to let them go now, along with the tears that flowed down my face. I hated crying. Always have and always will. I don't know what it is that makes me hate it so much, perhaps because nobody wants to see a crying face, it'll only put a bad impression on you, especially if you do it too much.

I trudged on through a fast growing forest. The new clothing I wore at that time was from a girl I found roaming the streets of the city. Lucky for me it was as though she was giving the outfits away, all I had to give her was the money Emi left me a little while back. For five hundred yen I was able to get a ball cap, a ruffled purple vest with black stripes, very short shorts, and a binding belly shirt that only covered around my chest. (Perfect for my situation). At this rate no one would be able to note that I was some sort of freak.

The darkness began to shade surrounding trees. I felt the cold crawl up and down my back, and the trees' angry eyes starring at me as though I was _Snow White_, only another one of the many story books Emi read to me before I fell fast asleep in her warm guest cot. If only the girl I found on the streets was selling winter clothing instead of all summer gear. Perhaps that was why the price was so cheap. After all, it _was_ nearing Autumn. The only thing I could do was wrap my hands around my shivering shoulders to keep warm, for the blue flames were still burnt out from before. I needed at least a week's worth of rest in order for it to recharge.

However in rather sudden spurts, my pupils began to shrink at an abrupt orange glow just barely rising between a few trees in the distance. Smelt like a cooking flame, freshly boiled beans and a hint of ginger. Just breathing it in caused my mouth water in shear delight. I had to get a better look!

The closer I got, the more voices were heard, laughing sounds and the clanking of glass mugs. Seemed like a party of sorts. Then after finally creeping up as close to the flame as I could without being spotted, I saw a few faces beyond the branches from where I stood.

"Wonderful evening Touya, wouldn't ya say! Things should be pretty easy from here on out!" A strange looking man elbowed his partner, speaking in a thick accent of scotch-Irish. A man with a shaggy head full of red hair and two pointed ears. It was hard to tell from where I stood, but it looked as though he had some kind of horn sticking out from the center of his scull.

"Yeah. Hopefully I mean." The second man, I'm guessing Touya, agreed, though with a more negative tone. He had ice blue hair with aqua green bangs overlapping his right eye. Touya was shorter than his friend, and a bit more compact. Examining further, it seemed the two were drinking together, however Touya's mug was still full, while the other's was nearly gone.

"Um, Jin are you sure you should be drinking that much?" A smaller voice peeped. This came from a third party, a boy I'm sure. However it was hard to see his face from behind the trees.

"You kiddin'? Oi've never felt better! MORE FOR MEEEE~!" The redhead replied in a slur of words then fell face first in his mug.

"Um...Jin?" Touya poked his shoulder.

"Woo~ Sure is dark in here!" After that, Jin's only response was a single hick-up.

"HAHAHA!" A burst of laughter came from the boy's side. Another red haired man with an Irish accent. "That's our Jin for ya!" His voice boomed as he patted the horned boy on the back hardily. "We asked him if he could hold his liquor, and here's our answer!"

"Tch. A party indeed..." A fifth man resting his head up against a rock smiled comfortably at the others. There was a star shape around his right eye, and in his puffed up blue hair, a ninja star barrette; he too with an accent.

Each individual looked quite interesting. They reminded me of elves having some kind of party around a bonfire. Oh and the smell of those beans! I longed for that flavor. So much so that I nearly lost my balance in watching them. The leaves beneath my feet started to rustle as I caught myself.

"What was that!" Touya was the first to notice. I saw in the distance that when Jin lifted his face from the mug with a start, there was some bear foam that dripped from his face. If I hadn't been so busy trying to hide, I might have found it funny considering it resembled a beard.

"No worries lads...most likely some sort of animal of sorts...no need to get your panties in a twist..." The resting one on the rock sighed out, his eyes still closed.

"I dunno, I hate just jumping to conclusions like that..." Touya replied. The second red head began to speak.

"Well if yer that curious, then how about you have a look? I've trained you better than this lad!" He said wagging his finger, it was stated as though he knew all.

"Fine. Besides, if it's some kind of monster I'm sure I can take him..." The short boy said to the others confidently.

I attempted to hide myself further behind the tree. I prayed to god that he wasn't going to kill or attack me. My body was far too weak for a battle. I was frozen in place from the fear. . . Actually it wasn't long before I realized I was frozen in place,_ litterally_! Ice kept me stuck to the ground like a tongue touching a frozen pole!

"Wha...? When did this happen?" I managed out in surprise.

"Since I spotted you sneaking around!" I was shocked to see Touya walking up beside me from the other side of the tree. When had he moved? My eyes stuck to him like glue as I studied his every gesture, but I made sure not to say anything, just in case.

"Hey guys!" The boy continued. "I found the culprit!"

Before I knew it, the entire group was there examining me. The shy one that I hadn't seen before from behind the tree tilted his head as though confused at what I was.

"Doesn't look like he's here to attack us." The once rested man stated with crossed arms.

"He looks like a chinchilla he does! Quickly, let's name him Gertrude and give him a funny lookin' hat~!" Jin teetered.

"Will someone take care of Jin? Poor lad's gonna pass out if we don't keep him steady!" The second red head had chimed. The quietest of the group nodded, linking arms with the very drunk man.

"Thank ye." Red head number two replied. "Now then, what brings you to this part of the woods boy? Ya hungry?"

My stomach seemed to speak for itself in a low grumble.

"Sounds like there's a monster in there Jaime. Poor thing must be starved." Star boy nodded.

"Well then, we can't have that now can we? We're bringing the boy back to the fire, and from there, he will be fed! What d' ya think of that lad?" The man's elbow nudged my shoulder. A friendly gesture, yet still someone I couldn't completely trust just yet. However, I couldn't say no to someone who was offering food! So I nodded vigorously.

"Good, good!" He continued. "My name is Jaime! I trained the lad who found ya here!" He leaned down to the blue haired boy's height. "You may want to release him by the way Touya!"

Reluctantly, the boy did as commanded.

"There we are now. As I was sayin...," He pointed to Touya who was next to him. "His name is Touya! As for the rest of the crew, this is Kendle here with the star on his face."

Kendle waved briefly, and Jaime continued.

"The poor wavery lad is Jin!"

Jin hick-upped a greeting.

"And this one here is Shitai!"

From Jin's arm, Shitaii waved shyly.

"Ah, now then. . ." Jaime continued. "Let's get some food in yer belly eh?"


	8. The Game of Speach

The food was amazing! Perhaps not as good as Emi's scrambled eggs, but still good. They were a friendly group too, later telling me that the celebration was because of successfully receiving land they had so wished for for years on end. During the party Jin was laughable into the night, that is until he fell asleep. I was surprised he was comfortable in his position, being that he was sleeping upside down, back up against a tree to balance. Jaime told me that he'd be fine in the morning so long as he wasn't too hungover. Kendle laughed in agreement.

The party lasted on to morning when the faintest hint of sunlight could be seen just peeking up over the horizon. Before that time I had gathered as much information as I could about my "captures", and in doing so, learned many things involving who they were and their life style. For one, I found out that Kendle was a doctor. He would fix up the injured in their clan then send them off to heal. Sort of a medicine man to be precise. I also found out that like me, Shitai wasn't much for talking, because for the longest time the boy had been living in a cave, so human interaction was very rare for him. As for Jin and Touya, they were a little different.

Jin came from a family of Elvin individuals that lived on an island between the borders of Scottland and Ireland. Like me, he had to stay in hiding from all the humans who would judge him, and because of the human's awful nature, they had eventually taken his home and burned it to the ground. In the end, he met Touya, and together they formed an alliance. Jaime was the one who took Touya in as a child and trained him in his unique ice abilities. It was a good story, because to me, it was as though they were a group of misfit sibilngs who had banned together to create their own little family, therefore, me being a misfit myself, I could easily fit in.

I awoke late into the afternoon, realizing that I was no longer where I had fallen asleep, for instead of being surrounded by trees and forest shrub, I found myself in the middle of cloth walls. Blankets and furrs where set underneath me, while the smell of baking sausage cleared my head and sinuses.

"Ah! Now you're awake!" A blur of light blue and black said in a smiling tone. When the fog cleared, I could tell it was Kendle hovering over my bed with a jar of medicine.

"Ya might want to take this. . . it'll wake ya up some I'm sure." He continued, shoving a spoonful of the liquid in my mouth, much without my say. It tasted awful, a lot like concentrated cranberry juice.

"If ya hold your nose it'll go down better. Don't want to be cranky now do ya?"

I wiped my face after swollowing, nearly gagging at the flavor.

"Ah, good show. You know, I couldn't help but to realize that we didn't get your name yesterday. Mind if I ask of it?" The strange man questioned while pouring me some water.

I hesitated for a long moment, almost too scared to reply. What was I doing? Why was I so afraid to speak? All I could do for him was write my name in the dirt on the other side of my bed.

"Timmy is it?" He asked with a friendly grin. "A good name! A wonderful name! Say, we should be good friends after this saga! What d' ya think?"

I looked down, still too shy to speak or even make any eye contact.

"Not talkin' eh? Alright~ I suppose we're going to have to figure you out ourselves. That shouldn't be a problem!" He got up slowly and washed his hands. I hadn't realized it at first out of distraction, but while he was talking, he was also bandaging up my bruises from tumbling around in the woods.

"You're an interesting fella' ya know that?" He continued while momentarily flicking his hands around in a bowl of water to wash them. "Food's outside if you're hungry by the way. Wouldn't expect so though, the way you ate last night was astounding! Like a hungry horse I'd say!"

I blushed some, remembering the way everyone was starring at me the night before when I was devouring the beans. If I remember correctly, there was nothing left but a drop of sauce sliding down the pot, but even then I had licked it all anyway.

After my slight moment of embarrassment, Kendle left the tent and I stood up from my bed to change. It was so strange. Not only had they fed me and given me a place to sleep, but they had also washed my clothes! I was truly amazed. Perhaps this was where I belonged! They weren't human, and neither was I. This _had_ to be my place.

When I stepped outside finally clothed, I noticed the others were gathered in a circle and talking to one another in hardy gestures. All of them were there accept for Jin, who had apparently left only moments before to throw up.

"Hey there Timmy boy, have a seat!" Jaime made a swooping gesture with his hand for me to sit next to him. I did so quietly and watched as the food was being passed around. "Help yourself! Real sorry about not getting your name yesterday. Everyone was just so excited that it slipped our minds! Not only did Kendle here tell me your name, but he also mentioned that you refused to speak to him. That's alright though, if listening is all ya got then it sure is fine by me! Besides, if that's the case then I'm sure you'll get along with our little Shitai! Isn't that right 'bucko'?" Shitai smiled some, then nodded his head breifly. Meanwhile I was definitely helping myself to the food.

"Wow..." Touya began. "He sure does eat fast..."

"After last night you're surprised?" Kendle joked as he sat down. "Hmm..." He continued.

"What is it Kendle?" Jaime asked.

"I have an idea!" The blunette stated. I could nearly see the light-bulb pop up next to his head as he spoke.

"And that is?" The red head questioned.

"How about we start a contest! Whoever gets Timmy to say something first wins! What d' ya say Jaime? Is it a game?" Kendle answered.

"Hmm...an intriguing idea my friend! Of course, we have to ask Timmy's permission before we start playin' mind games with him!" Jaime turned his head towards me happily. "Well Timmy, are ya in?"

I thought for a while before answering. Why were they trying to make a game out of me? Then again, it did seem interesting. I decided in my head that if I was to play this mind game, I would only talk to someone that I felt I could trust. It was a perfect idea, so I nodded my head with a grin.

"Alrighty! We have until the end of the day!" Kendle grinned.

"You guys are silly...why are you always trying to make everything a competition?" Touya sighed.

"Poor Touya, still hasn't learned not to judge us eh ol' pal?" Jaime laughed, nudging Kendle in the shoulder.

"Heh ha! That's for sure!" Kendle agreed.

At that moment Jin had returned. He was pale in the face, but at least now he looked sober. He looked at me blankly for a moment, then quickly pointed.

"Who's the chinchilla?" The boy stated rather groggily.

"You met him last night Jin." Touya responded. "Remember?"

"Did I now?" The red head walked up to me, tilting his head in complete befuddlement. "Can't say that I do."

"No doubt it was because you were drinkin' so much last night!" Kendle laughed.

"Right, we had to carry both you _and_ Timmy just to get up here!" Jaime chimed in.

"Timmy's yer name?" Jin asked as he poked my forehead. "I was thinkin' more on the lines of Susan, or Mary! Yer not female?"

I looked to the side, unsure about how to answer his question when in all reality I was both gender. Jaime swished his finger back and forth and began to comment.

"Don't be rude to the boy Jin! He _is_ our guest after all." He said while smiling.

"I'm sure Jin's still just sobering up." Touya said.

"You kiddin'? I'm completely sober! Didn't fall into my vomit did I?" The horned boy remarked. Touya rolled his eyes.

"Still..."

"So Timmy, you look like a fun guy! You from around these parts?" Jin asked me as he got comfortable on the seat next to me.

"Don't think he's gonna talk t' ya Jinny boy. He hasn't said a word since we found him!" Kendle stated with crossed arms.

"Oh come now, couldn't be as quiet as Shitai could he?" Jin replied.

"Actually..." Shitai started to say quietly. "You'd be surprised..." Jin put his fingers on his chin to think.

"Hm...so not a word eh?" He said dryly.

"Nope!" Kendle briefly chimed. He rested his hands behind his head for support.

"Not even a little hello?" Jin continued.

"Not a peep!" Jaime chuckled.

"Is e' ticklish?"

"Wha?" Touya peeped out in confusion.

"Is e' ticklish?" Jin repeated.

"How should we know?" Touya said. "We don't know."

"AH HA! Don't worry then, I'm sure there's a way to get him to say something yet!"

"You can't be serious. . ." Touya sighed.

"Ah, but I am!" Jin grinned widely.

"Uh oh..." Was all Shitai could say in reply.

"Here we go!"

Just then, Jin moved up closer and started to tickle me all over, beginning with my feet and going up. At first, there was nothing, but then as the tickle feeling began to get more and more extreme, the harder it was to stay focused and not laugh, so at the spurt of the moment, I used all the power I could muster to surround myself in a mellow blue flame, causing his body to be singed in a light coal black.

"A word of advice fer ya Touya, don't make little Timmy here angry!" For a moment he wavered, then finally, fell to the ground in a steaming heap. I made sure the flame wasn't bad enough to kill him, so all it did was barely burn his skin.

Everyone looked at me, then looked at Jin, then at me once again. I was expecting them to cower in fear or something, but instead to my surprise, they all began to laugh hysterically.

"AH HA HA HA! POOR JINNY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HIT HIM!" Kendle said in a deep vocal guffaw.

"You ok there lad!" Jaime asked, attempting not to laugh himself but failing miserably.

"Oh I'm fine. Just a little singed is all. Grass smells wonderful by the way!" Jin replied with his face still flat in the ground.

"Um, here, let me help you up." Shitai was the only one who wasn't laughing, however not even he couldn't keep in at least one chuckle as he spoke. Even the ever serious Touya was laughing at what had just happened.

"Well we learned one thing about Timmy! He uses fire as an attack!" Kendle joked.

"And how!" Jaime agreed.


	9. Getting to Know Jin

By the time breakfast was over, not one person in the clan could get me to talk. It was still too early for me to say anything, yet at the same time, there was this consistent longing feeling tugging at my chest that wanted me to tell them everything from Gil Fa's abusive nature to Emmi's unfortunate happenstance. I refused.

Soon later, Jaime explained to everyone what the plans were for the rest of the day, and with his flickering eyes and smiling mouth, it was easy to tell he was excited about whatever that may be.

"Everyone, today we shall be on the hunt for food once again! So far we have been eating hardily, but as the cold air is approaching us, there will not be as much grub to go around! We shall search in partners, that including our guest Timmy, and gather as much as we can before the first snow fall. As everyone knows, if things get too bad, we may have to revert back to becoming thieves of the human world, and we don't want that now do we?" Many of the clansmen shook their heads.

"Right." Jaime continued. "Soon after the hunt we shall be weaving together some winter clothes, a good first step for our coming winter. Then late in the evening we will be eating again as a clan, but for now, pack some food for your trip. Remember, now that the Forrest belongs to us, we can search at a wider range, just don't be goin' out of boarders without my say. Is everyone clear?" Everyone nodded, one or two even made an "aye aye" symbol with their hand. That was Jin and Kendle.

"Alrighty, pick your partners and we'll be off!" Jaime said with a swift cock of the head.

"I'll go with Shitai to the caves." Kendle began. "The little guy's always good at huntin' bats and the like, and with my wrapping skills, it should be easy to keep them together." He said while putting his arm around the shorter clan member.

"Good show!" Jaime grinned. "I'll stay here with Touya to watch campus. In the meantime I can train him while I wait for everyone's return." He agreed hardily.

"That leaves you and me Timmy! Here's hopin' you know how to hunt!" Jin smiled at me. A funny grin, one with a single sharp tooth overlapping his lower set of teeth. I smiled back warily. At least he was nice, not to mention sober (now at least).

Soon, everyone started to walk away from the campus in different directions.

"I'll meet everyone back here in a couple hours. Have fun! Oh, and try not to get killed!" The hardy Jaimie waved at us before we left with a wide grin. I started to wonder what he meant by his last statement. Surly it couldn't be_ that_ dangerous out here, I mean, it wasn't _too_ hard getting through the woods. The only thing that struck me as dangerous then was the mud and rocks that caused me to stumble around like a abusive drinker.

"You shouldn't be too worried about what he says." Jin said to me, noticing my slight discomfort. "After all, I know my way around this Forrest like the back of me hand! No monster is gonna have us for supper! And even if we_ did_ happen to run into them, they'll be defeated easy by _my_ techniques!" I looked at him curiously, unsure what he meant by 'techniques'.

We walked deeper and deeper into the woods. I had to admit it wasn't as frightening when the sun was out, very quiet actually. However with Jin's apparent love of conversation, it was hard to listen to that peace. He would begin to speak with the same sparkling blue eyes as before, then continue rapidly.

"Y' know, I once found myself face to face with a large boar. A doozy that one was! Big horns and teeth just the same! Didn't make a very good catch on him though, he was an angry fella! But I got away I did, all without one injury too! Ya know how I escaped?" He waited for an answer, but I did not. Of course being the jolly guy he was, the man only continued in a quick rhythm. "I ran right over the edge of a cliff and sprung downward! Confused the pig so much that he ran away thinkin' I was a goner! Funny eh?" He started to laugh loudly at his own nostalgia, but stopped when he realized I wasn't laughing along with him.

"Hm. . ." He started once again. "Couldn't help but notice how sad yer eyes are. Something happen to ya buddy? I mean, I don't mean to pry or anything, but it just gives me the troubles when I see someone lookin' all down in the dumps like you are. It's bad for your health you know, and that Kendle won't be able to get his hands off ya! You'll be chuggin' medicine before the day lets out I'm sure!" This time I looked at him for longer than a moment. As he may have been adding a hint of humor into his statement, at the same time I could easily tell he was purely concerned about me. Of course I wanted to know _why_ he was so curious, but even then my lips were locked up tight.

"Well, if you don't feel like talkin' about it, I can't complain." He said. At this point his strides were careless and free, back to normal once again, at least for him anyway. I smiled slightly, noting his charm then continuing to walk behind him until we came to the edge of a bright clearing. _This_ was where I began to feel the enchantment.

The sight was miraculous! Breathing in, the air smelled wonderful, as though a fresh apple pie was just waiting for me in a near by oven. I inhaled the imaginary brown sugar scent and tasted it as the flavor nearly melted in my mouth. This was the smell of fresh autumn sky, apple pie, apple butter, caramel, and pumpkin pudding, all surrounded by the freshness of golden maple leaves. I loved every moment of it. Even the other the trees as we passed them were clothed in leafy robes, colors orange and bright yellow. A perfect dress for the perfect scenery. Silvery stones on the ground and bleeding creeks that never waited to splash in your ears and sing. Careful though, I was beginning to think like my new friend speaks.

"Beauty isn't it?" The pointy eared Jin smiled at me as though he knew exactly what I was thinking. "But just wait, you haven't seen the best part yet! Come on, I know we're not suppose to wonder off too far, but I can't let ya live here without seein' it. Follow me. . ."

Without a moment to spare, the boy grabbed my hand and started to run. Never before had I seen his eyes twinkle so bright before, not to mention his ears twitch so rapidly. There was just something about him that caused my entire spirit to glow with excitement, and I could tell he felt the same way.

"Don't worry Timmy! It's not much farther!" Jin's voice smiled as he sprinted through the woods. It would be no surprise to me if I wasn't touching the ground when we skidded along past the blurry of flora and fauna. Everything zoomed past at once, till finally I saw in a clear brilliance, that we were about to emerge with the edge of a steep cliff! I closed my eyes, readying myself to let out a scream, but nothing came out. What was with his obsession in jumping off of steep objects? I mean I know he did the same thing in the past, but not with another person attached to his palm!

There was a long and astonishing silence. Something about me felt out-winded, like a surge of energy just rushed across my body and lifted out into the large open sky. I felt weightless. No longer did the word _"ground"_ have any affect on me. All I knew was that when I opened my eyes, there was a blinding whiteness that engulfed my body and caused my eyes to tremble.

"That's right Timmy boy, open your eyes. . ." Jin's voice whispered. "And look at the world around you."

Looking around I realized that I must have been at least fifty feet in the air! Like from the stories of _Peter Pan_, all the happy thoughts collided into my head at once. Not only could I see everything down below, but everything from chirping birds to rushing water filled my eardrums and caused them to play a wonderful beat.

"To think at one point I had to train underground. . ." Jin started quietly to himself  
>". . . still do y' know, but now I have somewhere to go when I get tired of dirt on my head and ground beneath my feet. See, I've always wanted a land like this one. . ., gets yer ears wigglin' like nothin' else I'd say. . ." His eyes were glued to the world below, wind rushing around beneath his partly naked feet and I watched in awe, but just as quickly as this peacefulness came, he was back to his old self again, starting to talk in his usual rapid sentences.<p>

"Well, I guess we can't stay up here forever eh pal? Jaime might just throw a fit if we come back with empty arms! Here, hold onto me shoulders! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" As quick as a wink the red haired Jin lifted me above him and placed me on his back. I wrapped my arms around his body, fearing the worst in his landing skills.

"Alright, here we gooo!"

Jin's voice faded out as the wind around us began to consume our sun-struck silhouettes. It was as though we were in deep water when my new friend, master of the wind, began to dive to the ground. My blond hair lifted up, waving behind us like a pale golden river as we got closer and closer to land. Lucky for me his landing wasn't as harsh as I had expected it to be, and his feet lightly touched the ground.

"Ya see Timmy, wasn't so bad now was it? I felt how tense you were holdin' on! So I figured you might have been afraid of heights or somethin'!" He said as he lifted me up and sat me back down onto the green splattered grass.

When my toes finally felt the texture of the ground and my weight returned to me, I started to get quite dizzy, falling hard on my backside. Jin chuckled slightly at this action, but didn't hesitate to help me back up again.

"Heh, sorry about that. Forgot to warn you about the dramatic altitude change. Sometimes it takes a while to get use to gravity again!" He said with a toothy grin.

I couldn't help but smile back, his eyes were just too dancy to ignore.

"Now let's say we get this job started eh?" The pointy eared boy continued. I nodded, however with very little hunting intelligence.

Together we walked deep into the woods. Jin showed me a special place to hide, that being behind a large rock where we would wait for our "prey".

"Do ya know how to use a bow n' arrow lad?" He turned, and I shook my head with a glint of interest. "Well today," He continued, drawing a target mark with some chalk he found on a tree. "You'll be taught by me!"

With the twist of his arm and over his left shoulder, he pulled out a long arrow. I must not have seen it before, but the carrier was strapped up around his back and held the tools for the hunt. The bow he used was a "foldable", and it popped out when he held it up in place. I watched carefully as he pulled the arrow back taught and released it so that it hit a near by tree. With his wind ability, I could feel my hair fly up above me then steady itself back in place. My eyes said everything if you wanted a reaction, then Birds flew from the hit tree and up into the sky.

_"Well there goes dinner..."_ I thought to myself as I watched them hastily flutter away.

"See?" Jin said. "Easy as pie! Now you give it a shot." He handed me the bow and another arrow for me to try at it myself. "Just remember, if you happen to miss that's alright, takes practice you know." He said with a satisfactory nod.

I looked at the tool for a moment, unsure about what I should do. Then remembering his actions, I lifted the bow up to the same tree and grinned. I could do this no problem!

_"Ok..." _I thought. _"Pull back..." _Carefully I drew the arrow back. _"And release!"_ The weapon shot out into the sky, blue fire suddenly surrounding it as it flew. When it hit the tree with a solid smack, I had nearly scared myself, not to mention poor Jin. The aim was perfect!

"Wh-what was that! You could've killed a man with that shot! A lucky turn I'd say! What d' ya think you're doin? This isn't some sniper mission!" Didn't take a genius to realize that the boy was jealous. I shrugged, feeling almost _too_ proud of myself.

We hunted for a while after, catching a few small pheasants, not very many, but still enough according to him. During lunch Jin told me more of his stories, however the one that stood out the most to me was of his old home from way back. It sounded like such a lovely place, and his family was amazing. I didn't know how he could deal with so many brothers and sisters. There were at least eight siblings in his family, one of which was a girl. She was younger and apparently even more energetic than even Jin himself. It sounded like a lovely place yes, but he also mentioned that it wasn't often he could spend time there. Most of the day they would have to hide underground from the humans who decided they wanted to forest all for themselves, so to see the light was like seeing (in his words) "a rainbow of color." His stories were awe inspiring, but in explaining what had happened to his family, his eyes became a dull blue.

"The humans had been tellin' each other stories about pointy eared woodland creatures. They gave us many names, faries, elves, demons, you name it. Either way, they knew we existed. I remember playin' alone with one of me favorite toys in the woods, and from behind a tree there was a funny lookin' freckly boy just starrin' at me like I was some kind of alien. I hid back in the ground soon as I locked eyes with him, but last I remember he had ran away. Most likely to tell his kin. The next day, there were people searchin' for us. Apparently too many stories had been goin' around about us stealin' their animals and children. I assure you that was a lie. None of us would dare touch their animals, not to mention their own children. For some reason though I couldn't hate the creatures. They were just like us in a way, afraid of things they didn't understand. Mother would tell me ancient stories of us and humans livin' together in harmony... But now, things had changed. Because they wanted our land, the humans had become our enemies. . . so in the woods I use to play. . . out of the same ol' sky I fell from when I was born out of me mother's womb, they would set the entire forest aflame, and nothin' was left but me, the middle child of a once happy family. . .now in the middle of rubble and corpses."

Seeing Jin like this was probably the strangest thing that I had encountered the entire hunt. He was so sad. . . so lonely. Like me, Jin had lost his friends and family as soon as he got them. This was it, I knew I could trust him now. Carefully I placed my hand on his knee and looked deep into his teary eyes, opening my mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry. . ."

In finally hearing words from my mouth, the boy looked at me and smiled some, wiping his eyes to give out a chuckle.


	10. WANTED

"YOU GOT HIM TO TALK?" Practically everyone in the clan said in unison after hearing the apparent, "Incredible news". Jin just laughed at them, almost confused by the sudden excitement. Jaime and Kendle started to parade him with questions, whos and wheres were seemingly essential to their own bewilderment.

"Come on now..." Touya began. "It's not that amazing...I mean the kid _had_ to talk eventually. Besides, if he didn't, I'd be worried." The two ignored him, still amazed by Jin's amazing feat, and Jaime started to speak in celebratory rhythm.

"That's it! We have to do it!" His light voice chimed.

"Do what Jaime?" Kendle questioned with an attitude of eagerness.

"We'll be performing initiation tomorrow night!" Jaimie replied excitedly, his red ponytail dancing as he spoke. "Starting now Timmy will be accepted in our clan! Is anyone opposed!" Touya raised his hand.

"You really are too trusting sir...how do you know he's not some kind of spy for the humans?" He stated with a hint of arrogance in his assumption. Jaime's eyes flickered a shimmering green as he spoke his next words, a sentence that seemed to hit deep into Touya's mind.

"I trusted _you_ didn't I?"

Slowly, the boy's hand lowered, and he briefly nodded.

"So what d' ya say Timmy? Would you like to join us?" Jaime asked through the crackling fire.

I thought for a moment, taking deep glances into everyone's eager expressions. They all seemed quite accepting, and not once had one betrayed me yet. Touya was still below my trust level, but I didn't want to judge him just yet. After all, there seemed to be a lot more to him than what met the eye.

"Come on Timmy. We like you." Little Shitai smiled brightly.

"Um..." I said in thinking, my eyes shifting to the side, and then I nodded.

"Hurrah!" Jaime celebrated with a thrust of his fist to the sky. "Just know dear boy, once a part of a clan, you're a member forever!" The short man said with a boyish grin. "Now, let's eat!"

Once again dinner was amazing. I scarfed everything up like a hungry little pig, once again amazing the others. Kendle and Jaime joked around together about how Shitai thought the bats were too cute to kill, meanwhile little Shitai himself had been hiding behind a large leaf to cover up his embarrassment. Jin patted him on the back, reassuring the boy that they were only kidding around, while Touya sat alone and silently ate his meal. After that the clan exchanged stories about previous hunts and spooky tales of folklore and magic, each of which I believed to the full extent. You'd believe them too if you had gone through the events _I_ have. Then soon as the night grew old, we readied ourselves for another night of good sleep. Jaime said that we had to get up early again to hunt, so a long rest was important.

It was dark that night, so it was hard for me to fall asleep. I tried to use my fire again, but I could only use so much of it without burning up the entire tent where I had been laying for the past few hours, not to mention it was still difficult for me to even use my powers at all. It was cold too, and even with the thick blankets surrounding me it was hard not to shiver. Shadows of tree branch limbs spilled across the cloth walls, cold air burned my nose, crickets chirped and owls hooted. I was alone and afraid once again in the gloomy dullness that was night.

Hours past, and I still couldn't sleep. My eyes were on fire just from staying open too long. That was it! I couldn't just stay awake like that or I'd never be able to get up in the morning! (No telling if morning had already come.) I was cold, tired, and lonely; So very carefully I wrapped the blanket around my body and started to sneak out of my own tent. It was a bit brighter out there than what it was inside, probably because the moon was out to help light up my path. I've never loved that planet more than I did that night. It was so bright and full, however my fear still lingered.

There were three other tents. One I assumed belonged to Jaime, the biggest one to be precise, while the other two were most likely shared between the rest of the clan. I wasn't sure who was pared with who at that point, so I simply chose the one closest to me. It was a good size, not as big as Jaime's, but still good. Comfortable looking. Carefully I peeked in through the opening, letting only a little bit of moonlight shine in so that I could tell who was inside. It was Touya and Jin, both in seperate bedding. I was afraid to enter, but it seemed the darkness and the simple sound of an owl chased me in anyway. The two didn't budge, and I was careful not to step on them. In doing so I got on all fours and crawled up into the middle. They were warm in body heat, so at last I was able to fall asleep without being afraid.

When we woke up and to everyone's surprise, Jin, Touya and I had all cuddled up to each other in our sleep! Touya leaped back up against the tent walls as though he had just seen a ghost, while Jin flailed back himself, I however was a bit more calm about the situation, sitting up casually and rubbing my eyes of the sleepies that had crusted up in the corners.

"When did he get here?" Touya shouted while pointing a finger directly at me.

"How should I know? I was sleepin' soundly!" Jin retaliated.

Finally realizing what was going on, I lowered my hands from my eyes and looked around. I had nearly forgotten about sneaking in the tent with them, but seeing their scared faces and exactly where I was, it wasn't hard for me to find that memory. This made me feel awful, not to mention completely embarrassed. My eyes welled up with tears, hoping I wasn't in too much trouble.

"Gah! Don't be cryin' now Timmy!" Jin waved his hands in front of his face in a mild panic, then scooted up close to me again to pat my shoulder. "We just weren't expecting you is all." His eyes flashed like lightening bolts as he glared through to Touya who was behind him. "Comfort him!" He said almost menacingly. I could practically see an imaginary snake tongue flicker out of his mouth after his statement.

"Alright alright gee!" Touya flailed. Then he too was beside me sighing. "Yeah...sorry about us being all panicky..."

I looked to the ground, still thinking about what had just happened and not responding to Touya's statement.

"So if he talked then why won't he talk to me?" Touya said as his eyes shot back a glare to Jin.

"Probably because he's scared of ya Touya! You and your negative attitude and all!" The red head retorted. That struck Touya like a giant arrow in the heart and he toppled over just because of the abrupt retaliation. "Now then, where was I?" Jin smiled once more to continue. "You don't have to worry about it much. Here, just whisper real soft, I'll be able to hear ya! It's the ears y' know, I can hear a mile away if I wanted to!"

I smiled partially, then whipped away the access tears. The words came out nervously, even though Jin had reassured me that Touya wouldn't be able to hear me very well, it was still hard to conjure up words in front of someone I was still iffy about. Not to mention I was embarrassed by my own fear.

"Um...I...mm..." At this point, stuttering was the easiest thing I could do, it was amazing to me how I managed to continue, only this time, I decided to lean into Jin's ear so that Touya couldn't see. The boy eased into me from the side, interested in what I had to say. Touya watched, a single eyebrow raising as he tried to hear what I was saying for himself. Jin's mouth parted as he began to react to my words.

"Oooh!" His head rose a little as he spoke.

"What? What is it?" Touya replied, a bit too eager, even for him, and Jin took notice.

"A bit eager there Touya?" He laughed at his friend's expression. Touya only swiftly looked away.

"Um...no." He coughed.

"It's not too much really, but I'm gonna ask permission to tell you anyway, you know, just in case. Well Timmy? Can I tell him? I'm sure he won't laugh or anything!" Jin reassured me with a smile. I nodded. Part of me found it funny that Touya wanted to hear about it so badly, so I wasn't too scared anymore. "Timmy's just afraid of the dark is all. See, since he doesn't have anyone to sleep around, it's hard for him to fall asleep at all, so he decided to join us!" The red haired Jin explained giddily.

"Oh really?" Touya smirked.

"Now Touya, no need to laugh! You know you're afraid of things too! Everyone has a fear I'd say." Jin's eyes narrowed. "You're fear of mice for example. . ."

Touya's entire face pruned up as though he ate something extremely sour.

"AM NOT! I'M JUST A BIT JUMPY AROUND THEM IS ALL!" The blue haired male retorted. Jin laughed loudly.

"That's not what Shitai said! I asked him just the other day I did. He said that when you two were in the caves together, there was this big ol' mouse that tried to attack you, and that you nearly climbed up the cave wall because of it! Then realizing how high you were, you leaped down like a scared kitten! So that makes two fears! Heights and cute little grey rodents! Heh ha! Squeak squeak!" The wind user teased.

"That mouse was more than just big Jin...I'd like to see _you_ handle something like that." Touya said before sticking out his tongue like a little child. I couldn't help but laugh at that, considering he had been so serious otherwise.

"You got a laugh out of him yet Touya! Good for you!" Jin clapped his hands together as though cheering on a second grade student. Touya just brushed it aside. "See, he's not so bad Timmy! A good laugh when you get to know him the right way!"

Once again I smiled at him. At least now I was getting to know everyone better.

It was a quiet afternoon. Everyone in the clan decided it would be a good idea to take a two hour break at the campus between huntings. As for me, I stayed comfortable resting on a large rock and chewing on grass blades. This was the male/goat side of me I guess, not that every man/goat is lazy, but still. Nobody was around at this point, however I did happen to hear the shuffling of feet not too far from where I sat. The others were most likely running around like usual. I perked up my goat ears to have a listen.

"This isn't good Jaime..." It was Kendle's voice that spoke first, and I continued to listen.

"Sure isn't. If they find him. . .who knows what will happen to us, not to mention our land. . ."

"I don't want him to be taken away. . ." Shitai's voice chirped. "I like him . . ."

At this point I knew for a fact that they were talking about me, so out of curiosity, I got up and walked towards where I heard their voices in the woods. I could see them past more trees, but I didn't want to get too close. They seemed to be looking at a piece of paper that was nailed to a large oak, studying it carefully as they conversed. The paper was blurry from the distance I stood, but I could tell by the long hair and bright purple eyes on the page, that it was a picture of me above the bold words,

"**Wanted, Reward, 500,000,000 zenny.**"

I was appalled! Was I really worth that much to the spirit world? It was clear, I had to stay in hiding no matter what. No one could be trusted but my own family. My _new_ family; The Clan of the Southern woods.


	11. In Hiding

The scare of seeing my face on a piece of paper had never frightened me that much until that very point of my life. If there had been simply one poster in the middle of what was suppose to be a forest of one clan, then that _must_ have meant there were more posters out there being put up by people other than ourselves. Part of me wanted to run away. There was simply far too much in my mind jumbling around like an unfinished puzzle, some pieces not included. Then another part of me wanted to hide behind my new family's back from those who were after me. Wouldn't that be the easiest solution? Never once was I a convict, so how was I suppose to know for sure?

I sat on a large rock to think things over. My head was hurting with anxiety. Should I stay here with the clan? Or should I run and risk never seeing them again? It was as though I needed to pick a flower to decide for me. Would my clan betray me and turn me in? Surely they wouldn't dare! However I had been betrayed before in my life, there was no telling who could be trusted anymore. Yes I talked to Jin a few times, but it still didn't make me feel any better. . . just thinking about it made my eyes nearly well up with tears.

"Feelin' a little down we are?" Jin's voice pushed through the chorus of my thoughts. Speak of the devil.

"So then what's wrong?" Looking up, I saw that Touya was with him, and his tone wasn't as clear as Jin's. I said nothing.

"Why don't you tell your ol' pal Jin what the matter is? I'm sure he can help ya!" The pointy eared male said as he sat down comfortably by my side.

I couldn't necessarily answer right away. I wanted to let it all sink in first. Then finally, even though Touya had been there at the time also, I got up the nerve to speak in front of him.

"It's the posters...I have to hide." My dewy eyes shimmered as I spoke. Even the hair in front of my left eye had parted from my face to show my expressional gleam.

"Posters?" Jin replied confusedly. Touya, hearing me speak, was far too stunned to say a word, so all he did was point with an open mouth. Didn't take long for Jin to notice. "Now that's not polite Touya." He quickly snapped, but his attention wasn't on him for very long before he started to talk to me again. "What posters then Timmy?" He continued.

"I'm wanted for reward money. I can't manage if they capture me. . ." I replied shakily.

"Reward money? Who's after ya? Why?"

"I'm a runaway Jin. Gil-fa's former servant. She was captured, but I still remain. I'm a threat to the known world." That was the most I had said in a long time, and in hearing it now, I was unfamiliar to my own voice.

"Gil-Fa? You're not talkin' about ol' haggy are ya? Why she's a greedy witch she is! No use tryin' to put up with her ugly-" Touya stopped Jin in mid speech.

"Hey! If he's not use to speaking you might as well have a polite tongue!" Touya scolded the wind user as though he was his own mother. If I was in a better mood, I would have laughed at his expression.

"Right right." Jin complied. "What I mean to say is, 'that lady isn't a very kind one', and you being her servant I'm sure you'd know that by now."

"I do. . ." Was my reply.

"So you're sayin' that now that she's captured and you escaped, the spirit guards are after ya?" Jin confirmed.

"Yes...that's right."

"Don't worry then Timmy! We'll protect ya! You're too good to be arrested after all! Prison is no place for you no how!" The red headed elf boy said with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah, you would know." Touya replied in a partial teasing emotion.

"Well...we'll not go into that right now. The fact of the matter is having to keep Timmy away from those guards!" Jin said, swiping away at Touya's last comment as though he was a part of the wind himself.

I leaped up happily and wrapped my arms around the wind master to give him a full sized hug. Over his shoulder though I could see Touya's still distrustful look, so I slowly let go, thanking him instead with a quick witted hand shake. Jin patted me on the back.

"You're welcome, and don't worry, I'm a man of me word." He nodded twice, and by now, I couldn't help but believe him.

When evening came, the excitement from the days passed had dulled into an eerie quiet. We ate our meals somberly. I was starting to fatten up a bit, so I didn't scarf down my food as I had usually done in the past. All was quiet.

"Silly silence. . ." Kendle began. "I could hear a pin drop if I wanted to, even if it is rather grassy. Isn't tonight suppose to be a special one? We're initiating a new member in our clan! So where's the party?"

"Hm." Jaime thought to himself for a mere second. "You have a point Kendle! We should be celebratin'! So on with the show!"

"Atta' boy Jaime! Let's do this!" Kendle laughed cheerfully.

After everyone had finished their meal, Jaime called everyone but me to gather. I was almost afraid of what the boys were planning, yet at the same time there was a breath of excitement surrounding me. After a little while of conversing, the gathering parted, and everyone looked at me with a vividly eerie smile. Even Touya seemed in on this odd little scheme.

"ATTACK!" Jaime broke the silence with a voice crackling shout, and everyone at the same time surrounded me, covering my eyes and touching me all over. I wasn't sure _what_ was going on!

When the group around me started to deteriorate, I looked around in stunned silence. They were examining me as though I was some sort of art spectacle.

"It's perfect!" Jin laughed.

"I couldn't agree more Jinny!" Kendle smiled.

Touya snickered, and Shitai tried to hold in a giggle. I felt strange, froffy. . . and. . . kind of girly. . .when I looked down my thoughts shouted out in an all caps rage. _"I'M WEARING A DRESS!"_ It wasn't even _just_ a dress! It was a _**DRESS**_! As in purple and lacy girly girl kind of dress! My face blurred with red color. _**THIS**_ was initiation?

"Welcome to the club Timmy!" Jin laughed. Little Shitai ran up to hug me.

"Yeah! Now you're finally one of us!" His little voice peeped.

"You're lucky they didn't do to you what they did to me. . ." Touya said with a suspiciously straight face. I couldn't help it, if it was worse then this, then I _had_ to ask, so I did.

"What did they do to you. . .?"

They boy's face darkened with a shade of sickly blue. I guess whatever they did was really, really bad.

"I'd rather not talk about it. . ." He finally said in faint reply. Jin teasingly patted the boy on the back and grinned.

"Poor boy can't handle the past." The wiggly eared individual giggled hardily. Touya quickly moved away.

"Yeeeah, don't touch me. . ." Was his awkward reply.

Jin laughed loudly and grabbed a stick, chasing at his friend around the campus like a little boy. Everyone else just laughed at them with large smiles and giddy emotion. At this point even I was laughing at the two. They were so funny to watch, it made me feel warm inside, happy. But that happiness did not last long, for abruptly gaining volume in the distance, was the sound of booming footsteps and manly roars of violence and destruction.

"No not now..." I heard Jaime whisper to himself in the shadowing darkness. "DON'T BOTHER ABOUT THE BAGS! EVERYONE JUST RUN! SOMEONE HIDE TIMMY!"

Fear filled my eyes like fire at the sound of those words. I knew this was coming eventually, but not this soon! Before I knew it I was grabbed by the wind master and dragged away into the prominent forest darkness. I could do nothing but comply.

"HEAD UNDERGROUND! WE CANNOT BE SEEN!" Jaime's voice rung over the rustling of leaves and grass as it passed us. I closed my eyes as I was being carried over Jin's shoulder, careful as a mother carrying their baby, but still hurried.

"I'll stall them!" Touya's voice shouted over our scattered fear.

"Oh no you won't! They see anything abnormal and they'll know for sure that we exist!" Jaime's voice replied as he was still running.

"It doesn't matter anyway! The campus is back there! Tents are still pitched!"

"Yes, but at this point, your safety is worth more than that!" Jaime commanded Touya to agree. For some reason then I knew that the boy was being dragged from his place. With no idea where we were going, I was scared stiff. There was nothing I could do but to cower in fear.

When the black obis poured over my eyes there was utter silence. For a long while I felt as though I had died, and my afterlife was yet to be determined. No one spoke. Then I noticed that beaming out from a very tiny hole was a dusty strand of light emerging from the darkness above me, this comforted me a little, but still not enough for me to stop shaking in my long rainbow socks. Someone was holding onto me very tightly. I believe it was still Jin, attempting to protect me with his life. The others must have been in front of us for the time being. This was when I realized that we had hidden underground while the stampede of boots and heavy feet trampled past us from up above. Then when all was clear, Jin's grip loosened, and the whispered voice of Jaime squeezed out through the darkness.

"Is everyone here?"

"I believe so. . .can you light a torch Timmy?" The lower voice of Kendle asked me from my side. Fingers felt for my hand and placed a long stick in my palm for me to ignite.

"I think so. . ." I replied as calmly as I could. The darkness made me quiver, and the fear of my own flame wasn't helping my case, but I did it anyway just for them. The light flickered twice, and all was well.

"Ah, much better." A smiling Jaime said while peeking out from the dully lit cave counted heads, making sure that everyone had made it to this little hiding place. The underground cave was bigger than I thought, for the space surrounded us from each dirt piled wall.

"That was a mighty blast of noise they were makin', eh Jaime?" Kendle noted.

"For sure. . ." Jaime said while still counting attendance.

Realizing something was off, I looked behind me and expected to see Jin, but it appeared to be_ Touya_ who had been holding me up during that time. The two must have passed me about when trying to escape. That meant that Jin wasn't with us now, and Jaime knew for a fact that something wasn't quite right.

"Where's Jin?" As expected, Jaime started asking around in a near panic.

"That's what _I_ wanna know." Touya replied. "He tossed Timmy to me and headed off in another direction. I couldn't stop him."

"You're kidding right?" Jaime said with eyes of terror. Kendle tried to calm him down with words, but not very successfully.

"Now now Jaime, don't be too worried about the boy, I'm sure he's alright." He said as soothingly as possible. Jaime only gave out a low grunt.

"I know I know, I just don't want him blowin' up our hiding place."

"Just a guess, but Jin's a flyer." Touya began. "He could have just flown up to see an overhead view. . ." Touya shrugged, however I could see it in his eyes that he was worried about it himself.

"How will we know if it's safe?" Shitai finally said in the eerie silence.

"We'll just have to wait a while I guess. . ." Touya replied.

"I say we send people to search for Jin." The eager Kendle started. "They won't be able to find us if we spread out. . ."

"I would, but at the same time I don't want to risk it. . ." Jaime said while starring through the hole to the outside.

"I hope he's ok. . ." The quiet Shitai said in a whisper.

"I think we all do. . ." Jaime replied.

I stood in the corner while a shaky silence blanketed the cave around me. I suppose our best option was to wait for Jin to return. Who knew if anyone was still out there looking for us or not. The torch flickered against everyone's face as we watched for any signs of danger and or peace. Shitai bowed his head in worry, while Touya said nothing until his tightening fists finally started to hurt.

"At this rate we'll never know if he's ok or not!" He growled at everyone underneath his angered breath. The rest of the clan shot glances at him, almost afraid of his own rage.

"I think. . . he might be right . . ." I finally chimed in, and when _I_ started to talk, it seemed _everyone_ wanted to listen. "It doesn't matter who it is. If we care about him, we would find him no matter what the risk. . ."

"I have to agree with Timmy on this one Jaime. It just isn't right if we just stay under here, won't accomplish anything." Kendle agreed.

Seeing as everyone seemed to be in common agreement, Jaime nodded.

"Right. . .We'll search the area, lord bless the wounded on this hunt for our dear friend, and let the dead be blessed also." The group nodded, eyes sinking in thoughts of what might soon be. Fortunetely, that moment of silence didn't last.

"I don't believe that'll be necessarily Jaime me friend!"

Jin's happy and familiar voice echoed between the cracks above us, and a smiling elf boy peered in through the entrance.

"Jin! We thought you were a goner for sure!" Jaime shouted in gleeful surprise. He ran towards the other boy and held both his hands in front of him like a cheerful little girl greeting her big brother. It was laughable considering how short Jaime was compared to the much taller Tsukai.

"What do you think you were doing out there? All of us were worried sick!" Touya projected almost angrily at his very best friend. I could tell that in his eyes that he wasn't kidding when he said he was worried.

"I wanted to see for meself what they were really after. That way we can know who to hide from if they come around again. Seems it's a group of ogres and demon-like things mainly." The partially barefoot boy explained.

I stared blankly at Jin, surprised he was safe, but then zoning out at the world around me. Why was there even a price put on me in the first place? I'm not doing anything wrong. It's just like a prince to put me up like some sort of object to wager for! What would he do with me anyway? Make me his slave? Cage me just like the witch herself? The blood boiled up inside of me just thinking about it, and it seemed the room took notice.

"I can't stay here any longer. . ." My voice trembled out through my drying lips. The room went quiet, and I turned towards them with a gleam of hatred in my violet eyes. "I don't want to risk the destruction of this forest! You were at peace before I arrived. . ." I glanced down at my lap, fists tightening in place, and I continued somberly. "Why couldn't I just keep to myself. . .?"

"If ya did that boy, you wouldn't be alive with us most likely." Jaime, with his leader like expression returning to him, spoke with a wise air of honesty.

I didn't want to admit it, but he was probably right. As I may not be able to die from lack of food, I would still be swallowed up by my own weakness as a whole. I was use to being sheltered, so the outdoors was no place for me to hide alone.

"Well now that the coast is clear, shant we see to camp?" Jin said with crossed arms. It seemed by this point no one was about to let me go. I was an accepted member, so breaking the bond was never going to be easy.


End file.
